The Truth Shall Set You Free
by IantojJackh
Summary: A coda to Countrycide. What was the meaning behind Jack's expression after Ianto's answer to Gwen's snog game.


**Title**: The Truth Shall Set You Free  
**Author**: iantojjackh & timelordshines (on LJ) this a collaboration fic  
**Characters**: Ianto and Jack  
**Word Count**: ~2k  
**Summary**: Welcome to the countryside. What was that look Jack gave Ianto all about.  
**Spoilers**: Countrycide  
**Warnings**: Just think what episode it came from.  
**Rating**: R  
**Disclaimers**: Not ours. We just borrowed them for bit.  
**Notes**: The first part of this was written in the exact place that takes place (Yes, we were in Brecon Beacons at the time). Except that we did not run into any cannibals.

* * *

**_The Truth Shall Set You Free_**

"Ianto, can I have a moment?" Jack asked once Gwen and Owen were just out of earshot.

Tosh could almost taste the tension in the air, it was that thick. "I'll finish up the tents…" She made herself scarce.

"What the hell was that all about?" Jack's face darkened.

"What are you talking about, Sir?" The emphasis on Sir reeked of defiance and sarcasm. He knew exactly what Jack meant but he was not going to give him the satisfaction.

"Why did you lie?" Jack clearly showed his anger and it made him more upset that Ianto's lie hurt like it did.

"Well you didn't exactly tell the truth either, did you Jack?"

"I didn't lie."

"What did you expect me to say?" Ianto gritted his teeth.

"You could have said nothing. The game was finished. No one was expecting you to answer."

"As always. No one ever wants to hear what I have to say."

"That's not true. I do." Jack said forcefully, "I always wanted to hear what you had to say."

"That's not what you just said," Ianto closed his eyes, pushing down the conflicting emotions that threatened to rise to the surface. "I should go help Tosh." He started to walk away, but Jack gripped his bicep tightly.

"We are not done here," Jack let Ianto see how much his betrayal had hurt him.

"Sir, let go of me." Ianto said wearily, it was the first time since Lisa that Ianto saw anything but contempt from Jack, and the depth of emotion showing in his eyes surprised him.

"If that's what you want." Jack loosened his grip but ran his hand gently up Ianto's arms and then cupped his hand against his cheek. "I didn't say anything because it was not their place to know about us unless you wanted to tell them."

Ianto leaned into the touch, realising once the anger was gone how much he missed the tender moments with Jack. "I was mad. I know I shouldn't have brought up Lisa, but why did Gwen have to play that childish game? Doesn't she ever think? Look at how she hurt Tosh...well Owen did really but he would never have said that if not for Gwen. She needed to see her words have consequences." Ianto would not also admit that Jack's deflection of the question had surprisingly hurt him and he wanted to return the pain.

"Is that the only reason?" Jack could tell Ianto was holding something back.

"Plus they still don't trust me and I doubt that saying I used to shag the boss would help my case." An uncomfortable silence fell between them. They looked at each other awkwardly, waiting the next move.

"Used to?" Jack asked, looking away not daring to look Ianto, afraid to see the look of disgust that he imagined would be on his face.

"I didn't think you'd want me after I almost got everyone killed. I broke your trust."

"You did and you should have been retconned for it, but I could not do that to you." Jack paused, debating his next words carefully. "Can you answer one question truthfully for me?"

"Go ahead." Ianto was worried what that question might be.

"Was any of it real or was it all for her?"

"It wasn't real at first," the scared young man knew he could not lie his way out of this one. He forced himself to meet Jack's eyes, to see the hurt there. "But then, after a while it became the realest thing I ever felt."

"I miss you," Jack whispered and began to lean in toward Ianto.

Ianto took that as an invitation and closed the distance between them, pressing his lips lightly to Jack's.

Jack deepened the kiss as his tongue asked for entrance to Ianto's mouth, which he gave quickly and willingly.

Jack carded his hands through Ianto's hair as Ianto slid his arms around the Captain's waist. They enjoyed their minute of bliss until Gwen's voice pulled them back to reality. She and Owen had found a dead body.

"We'll finish this later," Jack promised as he tried to catch his breath.

* * *

The later came much later, the following afternoon in fact. Gwen and Tosh had been dropped off and Jack stopped the SUV in front of Owen's building.

"Help me get him upstairs," Owen said, looking into the back seat where Ianto was curled up in pain.

"I'm dropping him off next." Jack had planned on caring for the injured Welshman and he doubted Owen would approve of his methods.

Owen glared at his boss, "Ianto should not be alone tonight."

"He won't be. I'm staying with him."

"He needs medical care."

Jack turned and looked into the back of the SUV. Ianto was sitting up now, watching them. "You checked him over at the scene Owen. He just needs to rest somewhere he feels safe."

Owen could see he was getting nowhere with this argument. "Call me immediately if his condition worsens."

"Bye Owen," Ianto half-waved, dismissing the doctor.

Owen shook his head and exited the SUV, leaving the two most stubborn men in Cardiff alone.

"Do need anything before I take you home?" Jack asked, finally able to drop the boss persona and act like the worried friend/possible lover that he was.

"No, I'm good thanks. Let's just go home, yeah?"

Jack smiled wistfully at Ianto's slip of the tongue and put the car in gear.

Luckily it was only a short drive to Ianto's flat and once he got out of the vehicle, Jack realised Ianto was more injured than he let on and had great difficulty walking. "Maybe I should call Owen."

"No," Ianto said curtly. "Just get me into bed and I'll be fine."

"Are you propositioning me, Mr. Jones?"

"I'm not sure I'm up to anything that strenuous," Ianto laughed and then wished he hadn't as a bolt of pain shot through his ribs.

Jack wrapped his arm around Ianto's waist and Ianto leaned into the support as he helped him up the stairs.

"Can you draw me a hot bath?" Ianto thought the warm water would do him good.

"You want the lavender oil or maybe some company?"

"Both?" Ianto answered in a small voice that nearly broke Jack's heart.

"You got it," Jack pressed a kiss into the side of Ianto's head. He sat the broken man on the toilet as he prepared the bath to their liking. Once the tub was filled he slowly undressed Ianto, taking care not to cause him any more pain.

The cannibals had really done a number on him. The bruises were just starting to come through and by tomorrow there wouldn't be an inch of him that didn't resemble an artist's paint pallet.

"God, Ianto" Jack breathed as his fingers gently traced the outline of a particularly vicious bruise in the shape of a boot print.

"Thank you," Ianto winced even at the gentle touch. He leaned forward until his head came to a rest on Jack's stomach.

"There's no need to thank me." It broke Jack's heart to see Ianto this broken again. Last time, Jack's anger and pride had got in the way of offering comfort but this time there was nothing stopping him from giving everything he could.

"If you hadn't come when you did...I would be dead."

"Shh, don't think like that" Jack soothed, lifting Ianto's head to look at him, "I'll never let anything happen to you, ok?"

"He had the blade to my neck and was about to cut when you crashed in." Tears started to fall, now that the adrenaline was gone. "Please stay. I don't want to be alone."

"I already said I was staying. Come on, let's get you in the bath." Jack helped Ianto into the tub before quickly stripping himself and sliding in behind him, holding the younger man close.

Ianto relaxed into his embrace, laying his head back against Jack's chest and closing his eyes.

Two seconds later his eyes shot open as he was assailed by the images of mutilated corpses and a room full of shoes. Ianto whimpered and bit his lip as the images of the body parts in the refrigerator came next. It was worse that aliens were not responsible for the barbaric behaviour. One human doing that to another was unimaginable.

Ianto's breath quickened as he hastily reached for Jack's hand. "Help me forget what happened and what I saw, please?"

"What do you want me to do?" Jack whispered before running his tongue around the shell of Ianto's ear, making the younger man shiver.

"That's a start. Don't stop." Ianto pleaded.

Jacked peppered kisses along the back of Ianto's neck, alternating with his tongue and relishing in the soft moans he caused. "Let's finish you up here and I can take you to bed properly."

"Sounds good..."

"I just need to get you cleaned up," Jack said lathering up the wash cloth and running it softly over Ianto's bruised and broken skin.

When Ianto was cleaned properly, Jack helped him out of the tub and gingerly dried him and eventually led him to the bed. "I'll be right back." He placed a soft kiss on Ianto's lips before he headed back to dry himself off and hang the towels up, knowing that Ianto would appreciate that the bathroom was kept tidy.

When he returned several minutes later, Ianto was exactly as he had left him. Jack climbed into bed beside him.

Ianto reached out to him, "Please Jack?"

Jack leaned over and kissed the Welshman tenderly on the lips, but Ianto had other ideas grabbing the back of Jack's head and crushing their mouths together desperately.

Jack knew he had promised that they would finish this later, but he did not want it to be like this. He could not deny Ianto what he wanted in his fragile state, but nor could he take advantage of him when he was so high on pain killers he probably didn't know what he was doing. The kiss finally broke when the air was depleted. It was a good sign that there was now a small smile on Ianto's face.

"Don't stop. More please." Ianto was desperate to feel anything other than pain.

"I can't, Ianto. Not when you are like this. When you are healed we can do more than kiss." Jack respected Ianto too much to take advantage in that way.

"Jack, please," Ianto begged, "I need to not think about the pain, or what about what I saw!" A single tear escaped and rolled down his cheek.

"I can't," Jack repeated, his own eyes bright with unshed tears, "Please just get some sleep. I'll still be here in the morning, holding you."

"Why? Do you not want me? It's not like you to pass up a free fuck." More tears escaped Ianto's eyes, reddening his face.

"I want you more than I care to admit. I'm not going to take advantage of you. You mean too much to me to be just a 'free fuck'. Please just get some sleep. I'll be here for as many nights as you want." Jack's lips ghosted Ianto's hoping to placate him enough to get the battered Welshman to sleep.

"It's not taking advantage when I'm begging you for it. Please Jack, I just need to forget for a few minutes so that I can sleep," Ianto pouted knowing Jack wouldn't be able to resist.

"That's not playing fair," Jack complained, kissing Ianto's pouting lips, "how about a compromise?"

"What?"

"Lay back and relax and I'll show you," said Jack kissing Ianto on the lips before moving down his body taking care to kiss every bruise he passed on his way to Ianto's hip bone where he paused.

"Jack," Ianto moaned, "don't tease me."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Jack said, lowering his head to give Ianto exactly what he wanted.

And Jack got what he wanted – Ianto finally fell asleep. And when the nightmares woke him, Jack was there to push them away.


End file.
